Gas turbine power plant



Dec. 7, 1965 c. c. HILL 3,221,500

GAS TURBINE POWER PLANT Original Filed June 26, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet lFIG. I

INVENTOR. CHARLES C- HILL ATTORNEYS DEC. 7, c GAS TURBINE POWER PLANT 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed June 26, 1959 INVENTOR. CHARLES C. HILL.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,221,500 GAS TURBINE POWER PLANT CharlesC. Hill, 1148 Vesper, Ann Arbor, Mich. Original application June 26,1959, Ser. No. 823,197, now Patent No. 3,118,278, dated Jan. 21, 1964.Divided and this application Mar. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 267,283

3 Claims. (Ci. 6039.75)

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.823,197, filed June 26, 1959, now Patent No. 3,118,278, granted January21, 1964, to which reference can be made for details of construction notshown or described in the present application.

This invention relates to gas turbine power plants.

It is an object of the invention to provide a gas turbine power plantwhich is light in weight, compact and efficient.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a power plantwhich can be easily manufactured at relatively low cost as compared tothe cost of prior gas turbine power plants.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a gas turbinepower plant having improved means for silencing the noise which isusually inherent in the operation of such power plants.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary part sectional elevation of the gas turbinepower plant made in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 22 in FIG.1.

Referring to FIG. 1, power plant embodying the invention comprises acompressor generally designated 21 which draws air from the atmospherethrough an axial intake chamber 29 in housing 27. Air flows axially fromcompressor 21 through a heat exchanger 40 surrounding a turbine 23 to aburner 22 as more fully described below. The air is mixed with fuel inburner 22 and the gases of combustion pass from burner 22 to the turbine23. The exhaust gases from turbine 23 pass radially outwardly throughheat exchanger 40 and are exhausted to the atmosphere. Compressorimpeller 24 and turbine rotor 25 are fixed on a shaft 26 which providesa drive to reduction gearing in housing 27 at one end of the power plantwhich, in turn, provides power to an output shaft 28.

Housing 27 is generally cylindrical. Compressor 21 includes a shroud 30which is bolted to one end of the housing 27. As shown in FIG. 2, shroud30 includes an outer cylindrical web 31, a radial web 32 extendinginwardly from intermediate the edges of cylindrical web 30 and an innercylindrical web 33 extending axially from the inner end of the radialweb 32. In this manner, shroud 30 provides an annular space which facesthe annular chamber 29. This annular space is filled with soundabsorbing material. As shown in FIG. 2, the material 34 nearest the web32 is preferably of such a type as to withstand high temperatures, suchas glass fibers, while the material 35 adjacent the annulus 29 is of thehigh sound absorbing type such as foamed plastic, preferably of thepolyurethane ester type. Foamed plastic material is also provided aroundthe inner and outer sides of the annular chamber 29 as at 36, 37 toabsorb and dissipate the noise. The exposed surfaces of the materials35, 36, 37 are shaped to form an annular passageway to the impeller 24of the compressor. A flange 38 on one end of the cylindrical web 31abuts the edge of the housing 27 and bolts 39 are threaded into thehousing 27 to hold the compressor shroud 30 in position on the housing27.

The use of a foamed plastic to form the sides of the annular chamber 29permits the sides of the chambers to be readily formed to the desiredconfiguration. Foamed plastic materials such as polyurethane esters areresistant to erosion and deformation due to movement of the air at highspeeds through channel 29 in addition to being effective in absorbingsound caused either by movement of the air through the channel 29 orsound caused from the turbine proper.

The foamed plastic is light in weight and withstands deterioration whenexposed to oil or water. In addition, it is low in cost and may befoamed in place so that no fastenings are required. The elimination ofthe fasten ings not only reduces the cost but, in addition, results in agreater safety because there is no danger of the fastenings becomingloose and passing into the impeller 24. Elimination of fastenings alsoreduces the cost of assembly.

Heat exchanger assembly 40 is mounted on the other end of thecylindrical web 31 of shroud 30 and includes a ring 41. Bolts 41a extendaxially through a flange on web 31 and are threaded into ring 41. Ring41 is connected to a pilot flange 42 by a toroidal manifold 48. Flange42 engages with a flange 43 on a bearing housing 44 and holds thebearing housing 44 in concentric relation to the compressor shroud 30.As further shown in FIG. 2, bearing housing 44 includes a surface 45which extends radially in spaced parallel relationship to the adjacentsurface of the radial web 32 of the compressor shroud 30. In addition,integral curved diffuser vanes 46 extend from radial web 32 axially intocontact with the adjacent surface 45 of bearing housing 44. In practice,a slight clearance 4501 on the order of 0.004 inch is provided on thesurface 45 of bearing housing 44 to insure contact of the radiallyinnermost portion of vanes 46 with surface 45 when bolts 41a aretightened. This insures a rigid mounting of housing 44 on compressorshroud 21. These diffuser vanes serve to decrease the velocity andincrease the pressure of the air leaving the impeller 24. The outerperipheral surface 47 of the bearing housing 44 is spaced from theradially inner surface of the web 31 to provide an axial diffusingpassageway which communicates with the space between the surface 45 andthe web 32 and further decreases the velocity of the air.

Hollow toroidal manifold 48 is mounted on the ring 41 and welded orbrazed thereto to provide a manifold into which the air is directed fromthe axial passageway between web 31 and peripheral surface 47. Thispassage is unobstructed by bolts or other fastening devices. A pluralityof tubes 49 are mounted at one end of manifold 48 with the interior ofthe tubes communicating with the manifold. As shown in FIG. 2, the tubes49 are arranged circumferentially around manifold 48 and extend axiallythereof. The cross section of each tube preferably comprises generallyradially inwardly extending sides 50, 51 and opposed circumferentiallyextending ends 52, 53. Sides of adjacent tubes 49 are parallel.Corrugated strips 54 are provided between the tubes. Each strip 54 iscorrugated in a radial direction (FIGS. 1 and 2). The exhaust gases fromthe burner 22 pass between the tubes 49 through the strips 54 andthereby transfer heat to the air passing through the tubes 49.

As shown in FIG. 2, bearing housing 44 supports a baflie 93 whichdirects the exhaust gases from turbine rotor 25 to the area adjacenttubes 49. Baffle 93 is provided with perforations 94 and sound absorbingand heat insulating material 95 such as refractory fibers is positionedbehind baflle 93.

The compressor impeller 24, turbine rotor 25 and the shaft 26 arerotatably mounted in the bearing housing 44.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ends of the tubes 49 opposite manifold 48 extendthrough a radial end wall 55 of a cylindrical shell 56 and passes theair through tubes 49 into the cylindrical shell 56. A ring 57 isfastened to a flange 58 around the inner periphery of wall 55 and aturbine shroud assembly 59 is mounted on the ring 57 by bolts 60.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a generally cylindrical flame tube 80 isprovided in the power plant. Flame tube 80 is formed with a plurality ofopenings 83, 84 which permit air from the compressor to pass from theshell 56 radially inwardly into the tube. A generally frusto-conicalmember 85 telescopes into the outer end of tube 80 and centers the outerend of tube 80. Member 85 is formed at its outer end with an axialopening 86. The outer end of shell 56 is closed by a dished and flangedhead 87 which is fixed to the end of shell 56 by bolts 88. Dished head87 supports a fuel nozzle assembly 89 and an igniter 90. Fuel nozzleassembly 89 extends into the open outer end of member 85 and provides arotating spray of fuel to the interior of the flame tube 80, aspresently described.

In operation, air is drawn by the compressor impeller 24 from theexterior through annular chamber 29 in housing 27 and is compressed anddirected radially outwardly between surface 45 of bearing housing 44 andthe adjacent surface of web 32 (FIG. 2). The velocity of the air ispartially converted to pressure by diffuser vanes 46. The air thenpasses through the axial passage- Way between the end of bearing housing44 and the web 31 where it is further diffused and flows to the manifold48 through the tubes 49 to the shell 56 (FIG. 1). The air then flowsradially inwardly. The major portion of the air passes through theopenings 84 in burner tube 80 and is mixed with the fuel emanating fromthe nozzle and the mixture is burned. Another portion of the air passesthrough openings 83 to cool or quench the combustion gases to thedesired operating temperature.

The gases of combustion in flame tube 80 are directed by the statorvanes against the blades on the turbine rotor 25 and then are exhaustedaxially. Bafile 93 redirects the exhaust gases approximately 180 intothe area between the shroud 59 and the tubes 49 and the exhaust gasesthen pass radially between the tubes 49 into contact with the corrugatedstrips 54 so that some of the heat of the exhaust gases is transferredto the air passing through the tubes 49.

By providing insulating material 34, 35 and 36 adjacent the inlet of thecompressor and insulating material 95 adjacent the outlet of the turbinesubstantial reduction in noise is achieved providing for a more quietoperation of the gas turbine power plant.

I claim:

1. The combination comprising a compressor having an axial inlet and agenerally radial outlet,

said compressor having a shroud adjacent said axial inlet and saidradial outlet,

21 body of heat insulating material within said shroud adjacent saidradial outlet,

a first body of sound absorbing material on said shroud in juxtaposedrelation to said first mentioned body,

a second body of sound absorbing material spaced from the exteriorsurface of said first body of said sound absorbing material,

the adjacent surfaces of said bodies of sound absorbing material beingso shaped to define an annular chamber having a first axial portion, asecond radial portion and a third axial portion extending to the axialinlet of the compressor.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said sound absorbingmaterial comprises polyurethane foam.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said heat insulatingmaterial comprises glass fibers.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 869,868 10/1907Spencer 230117 2,267,275 12/1941 Gevrnz 230232 2,553,867 5/1951 Parducci6039.36 2,587,057 2/1952 McVeigh 6039.36 2,835,107 5/1958 Ward 60-35.62,925,714 2/1960 Cook 60-39.51 3,000,464 9/1961 Watters 18133 3,118,2781/1964 Hill 60-39.36

SAMUEL LEVINE, Primary Examiner,

1. THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A COMPRESSOR HAVING AN AXIAL INLET AND AGENERALLY RADIAL OUTLET, SAID COMPRESSOR HAVING A SHROUD ADJACENT SAIDAXIAL INLET AND SAID RADIAL OUTLET, A BODY OF HEAT INSULATING MATERIALWITHIN SAID SHROUD ADJACENT SAID RADIAL OUTLET, A FIRST BODY OF SOUNDABSORBING MATERIAL ON SAID SHROUD IN JUXTAPOSED RELATION TO SAID FIRSTMENTIONED BODY, A SECOND BODY OF SOUND ABSORBING MATERIAL SPACED FROMTHE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID FIRST BODY OF SAID SOUND ABSORBINGMATERIAL, THE ADJACENT SURFACES OF SAID BODIES OF SOUND ABSORBINGMATERIAL BEING SO SHAPED TO DEFINE AN ANNULAR CHAMBER HAVING A FIRSTAXIAL PORTION, A SECOND RADIAL PORTION AND A THIRD AXIAL PORTIONEXTENDING TO THE AXIAL INLET OF THE COMPRESSOR.